Campfire Bugle

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I don't see hugely successful artists that become 'brands' doing so well as human beings. It's time to let go on the mega star fantasy and just be happy to enjoy and share our work in a freer more sustainable and localised way.

A myth-busting day to help you navigate all the blocks (creative and logistical) to getting your music released and promoted.

In my music biz label management/PR career (following my attempts at mega-stardom), I have worked with Six Degrees Records (Working with Elvis Costello, Debbie Harry and The Jazz Passengers, Banco De Gaia, King Britt), Buddha Bar Paris, Palm Pictures, Ministry of Sound, PIAS, Melt 2000, The Big Chill Label (releasing Mr Scruff's Big Chill Classics and artist albums by Tom Middleton, Chris Coco, Chilled By Nature, John Metcalfe, Jo Harman and Bruce Bickerton). Big Chill is how I know Pete and connect with Campfire Convention.

I now have my own label through Proper Music called Total Creative Freedom where I release inspiring projects in partnership with artists. All this has taught me so much and I would love the opportunity to share that knowledge with other artists wherever they are developmentally. This workshop is more about myth busting through fear and procrastination than anything and practical ways forward so stuff starts to happen. Images below records I have known and plugged.

Releasing your music can sometimes by terrifying but also it is unquestionably extremely liberating. We are at a transition time where ideas around what success is and how to succeed are really up for grabs. Below me in my major label 80s heyday, before I moved to the dark side and started helping other artists.

In many ways my life has been about blowing up the fantasy of what productive creativity is, particularly as commerce seems to dictate greatness while more 'worthwhile' artists struggle to survive. I question that narrative, there are great balanced careers possible in music that are entirely within reach. Mass market commerce is not the only measure of success. Reaching people, contributing to wider debates and enriching our culture also matter (to me those things matter more). I don't see hugely successful artists that become 'brands' doing so well as human beings. It's time to let go on the mega star fantasy and just be happy to enjoy and share our work in a freer more sustainable and localised way. Below my attempt at being a pop star.

I am a passionate member of the Musicians Union and The Featured Artist Coalition because for far too long highly sensitive and creative people have been crushed by the devil of commerce and as such the quality of their reflections have inevitably been compromised. We are at a wonderful point in our creative evolution where we really can chuck out the money lender in the creative temple. Exploitation is the backbone of the commercial music industry. Think about it. The deals artists sign for the privilege of making it amount to a loan that takes 80 percent of profit even after they've got all their money back. So there is not even a good bank in the temple its a crappy and exploitative one. Musicians and artists have put up with this restriction for far too long. It's time to take up the power that making a creative statement gives us and to unite as a supportive creative community. Yes I know I look like a bit of a prat in the image below but included for reasons of mirth, yours and mine.